Faculty Senate Approves Key Mentoring Initiatives

The Faculty Senate unanimously voted Thursday to endorse a mentoring guidebook for faculty, generated by the Graduate Student Senate, and to encourage a culture of mentoring at the university.

The book, A Mentoring Guidebook for Faculty: Helping Graduate Students Grow into Respected Professionals and Trusted Colleagues, was developed during the 2007-2008 academic year in an effort led by last year's Graduate Student Senate President Kevin Speer and mentoring committee Chair Craig Rudick. The document was approved by university President Barbara R. Snyder. The Faculty Senate on Thursday enthusiastically acknowledged the efforts of Graduate Student Senate and supported the distribution of the guidebook.

"The hope is that a process of mentoring on campus will become more visible," said Alan Levine, a School of Medicine professor and chair of the Faculty Senate Graduate Studies Committee. Read more.

Campus News

The Center for Science and Mathematics Education is co-sponsoring Friday Family Fun Night at Cleveland Lakefront State Park from 7 to 9 p.m., March 6. This free family event engages participants of all ages in hands-on science focusing on Robert Ballard's "Immersion Presents: Ocean Exploration" program. Reservations are requested by calling (216) 881-8141 x3001.

Kelvin Smith Library will have some titles and services available during this weekend's planned data service outage. Learn more.

The Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences is hosting an information session from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Feb. 28, at the school. The community is invited to learn about a social work degree from one of the highest-ranked graduate social work programs in the nation. The session will focus on the master's program, field education and financial aid. Register by phone at 368-2280.

University Hospitals offers its Trauma Grand Rounds on a monthly basis to qualified staff in the university community. Continuing education options are available, and the seminars include speakers. Contact Tina Duman for information.

For Faculty and Staff

The Offices of the Provost, Sponsored Research, Government Relations and the Faculty Senate are sponsoring a campus-wide forum for faulty and staff on the recently passed stimulus bill. The forum will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m., Monday, March 2, in Ford Auditorium. The forum will include an information session, followed by Q&A and discussion. An internal Web site http://ora.ra.cwru.edu/research/stimulus.cfm has been set up to provide information and regular updates on the Stimulus Bill, especially as it affects Case Western Reserve. This Web site will evolve to include links to important information, a blog for faculty information exchange and discussion and other important dates for activities. This is an opportunity to receive the most up-to-date information on the bill and processes being considered by federal agencies in awarding program dollars. The forum is open to all faculty and staff. Call Monica Cunningham at 368-1723 for additional information.

A sample of pre-tenure faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences, The Case School of Engineering, the School of Law, the Weatherhead School of Management, the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, and the basic science departments in the School of Medicine will be asked to take part in a survey about their experiences
and quality of life as an early-career faculty member. The confidential survey is being conducted by the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Faculty will receive an e-mail invitation to participate from COACHE this week. Questions should be directed to Deputy Provost Lynn Singer at 368-4389.

For Students

The Graduate Student Senate (GSS) is hosting a discussion on "Mentoring: What Makes a Good Mentor?" from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Thursday, March 5, in Clapp Hall, Room 405. Mano Singham, director of the University Center for Innovation in Teaching and Education (UCITE) will facilitate. Pizza and beverages will be provided. RSVP to the GSS.

Intervarsity Christian Fellowship at Case and Koinonia Christian Fellowship will host Stuart McAllister at 7 p.m., Monday, March 2, in Strosacker Auditorium. McAllister will address why he believes Jesus Christ is relevant and important for collegiate life and academia. The event targets undergraduates, but the community is welcome to attend.

Events

The Confused Greenies are performing a comedic adaptation of Plautus's The Pot of Gold before each of the Film Society's screenings of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Saturday, Feb. 28. The 7 and 9:30 p.m. performances have two different casts for a unique comedic experience. The live show is free; tickets for the movie are $3. Send an e-mail for details.

The Pakistani Students Association will host their annual cultural show and dinner, Chamaki Shaam, beginning at 6:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 28, in Thwing
Center's ballroom. The event will include entertainment and Pakistani cuisine. Tickets will be sold at the door for $8 for students with a Case Western Reserve ID, $12 for others. Contact Sana Minhas for questions.

The views and opinions of those invited to speak on campus do not necessarily reflect the views of the university administration or any other segment of the university community.

Et al

The School of Law's Jessup International Law Moot Court Team, comprised of Margaux Day, Niki Dasarathy, Pat Dowd, Kate Gibson and Sarah Pierce, won the Best Brief Award and was rated the top team after the preliminary rounds of the Midwest Super Regional Competition. Margaux Day won the award for the Best Overall Speaker, Niki Dasarathy was sixth best speaker, and the other team members were all in the top 20.

School of Dental Medicine student Avni Maru recently won a 2009 American Dental Education Association /Johnson & Johnson Preventive Dentistry Scholarship. Maru will be recognized during the Bridging the Generations Plenary at the 86th ADEA Annual Session in Phoenix on Tuesday, March 17. Maru received nomination endorsements from faculty and administrators at the School of Dental Medicine.

Data Center Renovations

The KSL Data Center Remediation work is almost complete. The last major planned outage will begin at 5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 28, when the former KSL Server Network switches will be relocated and reprovisioned as the Network Security switches within the Data Center. It is anticipated that the work will be completed by 6 a.m., Sunday, March 1. Assuming the data center firewalls stay up, here is the list of services that will be affected during the outage.

Case in the News

The Washington Post, Feb. 26, 2009
Many people who are either laid-off from their job or simply moving to another opportunity often secretly take proprietary data from their employer on their way out the door, a study released this week found. Jon Groetzinger, professor of law at Case Western Reserve University, comments.

Cleveland magazine, March 2009Michael Scharf helps courts throughout the world punish those responsible for torture and genocide. His latest book, Enemy of the State, recounts his work as an adviser for the trial of Saddam Hussein. Scharf is a professor of law and director of the Frederick K. Cox Center for International Law at Case Western Reserve University.

Chronicle of Higher Education, Feb. 27, 2009Lev Gonick, vice president for information technology services and chief information officer at Case Western Reserve University, is the February guest columnist for the Chronicle of Higher Education.

The Plain Dealer, Feb. 27, 2009
Cleveland's philanthropic scene is getting a boost from young professionals. Two of those who are giving back are Megan McFadden and Tim Marshall. McFadden, assistant director of alumni relations and operations at the Case Western Reserve University School of Law, is a member of the group PlayhouseSquare Partners. She is co-chairing the group's annual Jump Back Ball. Marshall, director of marketing and communications for Case Western Reserve University's Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, is making a difference in the Cleveland community through his involvement with Greater Cleveland Community Shares and the Cleveland Art Project. Related article.

The Plain Dealer, Feb. 26, 2009
A screen adaptation of The Watchmen, considered one of the greatest graphic novels of all time, will hit theaters soon. Colleges across the world teach Watchmen as literature. It's the cornerstone of comic-book courses, including one taught at Case Western Reserve University by Michael Sangiacomo and Brad Ricca.

Carolina Newswire, Feb. 24, 2009
In these difficult economic times, nonprofits face the daunting challenge of continuing to provide the same level of services to the public with potentially less revenue. The article references the Mandel Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Case Western Reserve University.

Higher Ed News

Diverse Issues in Higher Education, Feb. 26, 2009
With a goal to expand financial aid and college access, the Obama administration unveiled a 2010 education budget plan Thursday that virtually guarantees future Pell Grant increases while creating a major new initiative on college completion.